How to Make Traditional Ethiopian Injera at Home

Injera is the foundation of Ethiopian cuisine - a spongy, slightly sour sourdough flatbread made from teff flour that serves as both the plate and the utensil at every Ethiopian meal. Making it at home takes 3 days of fermentation but the result is worth it.

What Is Injera?

A naturally leavened flatbread fermented from teff flour. The bubbly texture called eyes forms during fermentation and cooking. Naturally gluten-free and vegan, with a mild sourness from wild yeast fermentation - the same process as sourdough bread.

Traditional Injera Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups brown teff flour
• 2.5 cups warm water
• Pinch of salt

Day 1: Mix the Batter

Combine teff flour with 2 cups warm water in a large glass bowl. Stir until smooth. Cover loosely with a cloth - you want air to get in, but not dust. Leave at room temperature (70-75F is ideal).

Days 1-3: Fermentation

Let ferment 2-3 days, stirring once daily. You will see bubbles and smell a mild sour smell - this is correct. Ready when it smells pleasantly sour (like yogurt or sourdough) with visible bubbles throughout. Warmer kitchens ferment faster.

Day 3: Cook

Add salt and thin with water to crepe-batter consistency - thinner than American pancake batter. Heat non-stick pan or flat griddle over medium-high heat. No oil. Pour enough batter to coat the surface and swirl thin immediately. Cover with a lid. Cook 2-3 minutes until edges lift and top is fully cooked. Do not flip - injera cooks on one side only.

How to Serve Injera

Lay a large piece of injera flat on a platter. Spoon stews over the top - misir wat, shiro, tibs, or doro wat. Place smaller torn pieces around the edge for scooping. Everyone eats from the shared platter using torn pieces to scoop up food.

Skip the 3-Day Process

Order JebenaWings Handmade Injera - baked fresh weekly from 100% teff flour and shipped to your door. Each weekly pack includes 6 full-size rounds.